The Hot–Chick's Best Friend
by Lolzauslly
Summary: Trish usually busies herself during a night on the town, fending off the man lusting after her gorgeous friend Ally. When Dez the bartender overhears her inspired, ludicrous excuses, he resolves to hook up Trish with his friends. But Trish would be quite happy with him. Come along as Trish tries to find her own happily ever after. (From the creator of Never Been Dumped)—Trez
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Guys It's Been A While I Know But I've Been Having A Really Hard Time With Personal Stuff. Anyway, I Decided To Finish The Projects I Started. And You Guys Probably Hate Me For Leaving And Never Beginning The Stories I Promised. So Here's A Story I Started Way Before 'Never Been Dumped'. Anyway, Enjoy!**

Can a _plain Trish find love when her best friend is a curvy, man-magnet_**?**

_**Trish's Pov:**_

A night out with Ally always ended in one of two ways: either she left me hanging for her boyfriend Austin ; or I spent the entire evening fending off the smitten males whose hormones went on high alert the moment her big toe entered the room.

This night was going in the direction of option number two. I didn't see any hot prospects at first glance. This Bar was the place to be in Miami,Florida on a Saturday night.

The place was packed with the crowd spilling onto the back patio to enjoy the warm summer night, and the music was thumping at a gotta-shout level. All eyes turned to the door when she walked in. A path cleared as six-foot-tall Ally, with beautiful long brown hair hanging past her curvy hips, wiggled her way onto the dance floor. But those heels really do hide her shortness.

I followed, because she couldn't get her groove on without me. I'm a better dancer than she is and she steals all her moves from me. It's true. I've got that going for me, at least—not that anyone notices her five-foot, dark-haired friend with the thick ankles. Her shadow certainly swallows me whole, but hey, I really don't mind.

We boogied to the hip song of the moment and soon enough, a few gutsy gals left the security of the scattered tables and joined us. Then the drunker of the men crowded the floor, probably wondering if they should shoot for the top and approach Ally or pick one of us "lesser" girls—like they could flatter us into bed by flirting with us first. For the most part, men at bars are idiots. Newsflash, I know.

"You with the hot chick?" a short, curly-haired guy asked, bumping his hip into mine in some pretense of a dance move. I bumped back hard enough that he had to catch his balance.

"If you mean the tall brunette, yes, I am."

Out came another bad dance move, with him jiggling his hands like he was shaking a Martini.

"She available?"

I shook my head and gave him the bad news.

"Nope sorry. Her boyfriends on tour but he's coming to surprise her tonight. She just doesn't know that yet."

"Yea right, and I so happen to be dating a European model. Who is she dating, anyway?"

"Austin, Austin Moon."

He was about to say something when a familiar voice shouting my name interrupted us.

"Trish!"

Yup, it was Austin.

"Hey what's up?"

"Where's Ally? I can't wait to see her I missed her so much. I'm never leaving for tour without her ever again."

"She's over there, lover boy." I said pointing to Ally, that was dancing in the crowd. Austin smiled and made his way to her. Ahhhh what am I gonna do with the these two lovebirds.

Just then I noticed that guy I was talking to was gone. Aw to bad, he was kinda cute though. I boogied away from the crowd and started getting my excuses ready for the string of men who would soon be lining up to meet the second most appealing woman in the bar—the hot chick's best friend. Always a good girl to know when trying to make your move. At least, that's what the men seemed to think.

Austin had already separated me from Ally, but she seemed to be enjoying herself, so I made my way over to the bar and collapsed on a stool.

The bartender came over and I asked for a Coke. Bras dangled in a rainbow of hues and sizes from a crisscross of beams above him.

We'd been there before and I was surprised of how many more had been added. Not me, though. Bras are expensive, and with a good-sized chest myself, I didn't usually go walking around without one. I'm classy like that.

"Not drinking tonight?" the bartender asked.

"I need to keep my wits about me." I grinned at him. He was cute, with cute ginger hair tucked behind his ears and bright blue eyes. Then he smiled, revealing dimples I could take a bath in. That earned him an immediate upgrade to hot. I wished I were wearing something nicer than a black mini-skirt and a tank top.

He nodded in Ally's direction. "You with the brunette? Does she want a drink?"

I sighed. She's man-nip even on the other side of the room. "Alcohol doesn't mix well with her medication, and considering how contagious she is, we don't want to mess with the meds."

He snapped his bar towel at me. "I'm not interested in your friend. I just thought I'd hook you both up with a drink since you're sitting here and there's no line."

I took my purse off my shoulder and set it on the bar. "That's a new one. Not interested in Ally. Never heard that one before."

Shaking his head, he left to get my soda. It didn't take long for the first poor chap to find me. He was skinny and tall with shaggy blonde hair covering his eyes. "Hey, that girl you're with?" He shoved his hands in his pockets as I admired his highlights.

I cocked my head as if confused. "Which girl?"

He pointed to Ally's head sticking up above the crowd. "That one. The brunette. What's her deal? She single?" Really, can't he see she's dancing with thee Austin Moon. Oblivious people I swear. These are the reasons why I need to come up with excuses.

I crossed my legs and looped my hands around my knee. "I guess you could say she's single. But her court-ordered therapist has forbidden her from dating men for a while, otherwise, it's back to county lockup." I shrugged.

"But you never know, she might bend the rules. Just don't give her your real name. It's really hard to change your identity if things don't work out."

"Uh, thanks." He scratched his head and walked to the opposite end of the bar, stealing a glance over his shoulder at Ally.

"I'm disappointed."

I jumped; surprised to find the bartender leaning towards me with my drink. I was so busted, but I could play innocent just as well as I could lie. I widened my eyes.

"Disappointed? In the weather? Your stock portfolio?"

He slid my glass to me. "His excuse was much more clever than mine."

My eyes narrowed. "Maybe if I knew you'd be eavesdropping tonight, I would have come up with something better for you." I snagged a few cherries from the fruit tray in front of him and dropped them in my Coke.

He gestured to the tray. "Do help yourself to the salad bar."

"That's the plan. I like to be fancy." I bounced my foot to the beat of the music.

He bent down, reappeared with a pink drink umbrella, and stuck it in between the ice cubes. As soon as he handed me my drink I twirled the umbrella between my fingers.

He propped his elbows on the shiny, black bar top. "How do you know she wouldn't have wanted to meet that nice young man? He might have lovely eyes under that hair."

I stabbed the umbrella back in between the ice cubes. "Are you serious? Can't you see her right now, she's with her boyfriend basically humping each other, yet everybody is oblivious. She happy and inlove with can't no one see that?"

"But I guess not since I always have to come up with stupid excuses."

"How kind of you. And she wouldn't object to these inspired excuses you're using?" He ignored the two men standing next to me, waiting for a drink.

I reached in my purse, fished out my favorite Mac lip gloss, and applied a coat. "She thinks it's hilarious. I tell her all about them at the end of the night and she picks her favorite. We've been friends for a long time. If I didn't love her so much, I'd hate her." I rubbed my lips together, enjoying the cinnamon zing.

"You two grow up together?"

He was ruining my fun. "Not exactly."

He looked at me, waiting for an explanation.

"That's a long story for another night."

He held up his hands. "I'm here every weekend."

"I'll jot that down in my planner." _Really, I will._

**Review Please! I Know Its Short But I Will Only Continue This Story IF You Guys Like It. **


	2. Chapter 2

**I am so sorry for not updating this story. Ive been having writer block and I didn't know how to continue this story. So I spent the whole week rereading Chapter 1 until it came to me. You might want to read chapter 1 again to understand. Enjoy!**

"Let's just say we both have very good reasons for my being her social director."

He frowned at the growing drink line, held up one finger in a just-a-second gesture, and got the guys their drinks. Then he came back to me.

"What's your name, guardian of the beautiful Ally?"

I laughed. "Trish de la Rosa."

He held out his hand. "Dez Worthy. Pleased to meet you."

I shook his hand and a shiver shot down to my toes. Damn, this guy was cute, and those strong hands were certainly capable of more interesting things than serving beer to clowns at a bar.

Unfortunately, contestant number two approached before we could finish talking. I sighed dramatically. I should just hold up a sign that says,  
She's not available.

The guy leaned up against the bar next to me. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Oh, very nice—the old bait-and-switch routine. I'll pretend I'm interested in you and then make a move on your friend.

"Sure, I was just about to order a Johnny Walker Black. A double, straight up." He was wearing Hollister jeans; he could afford it.

His eyes bulged but he nodded to Dez, who turned around, stifling a laugh.

"Thanks," I told the guy. He was tall and well built, with a cute goatee, and might have had a shot with Ally if she want taken.

Dez returned with my drink, which I let sit on the counter.

Mr. Bait-and-Switch went in for the kill. "So, what can you tell me about your friend?"

I blinked at him a few times. "Who?"

He gave me a look. "The brunette out there. I saw you come in with her. What's her deal?"

I widened my eyes. "Oh, my gosh! Are you interested?"

Trying to hold back a smile, he fingered his goatee. "Well, yeah. Sure."

"You're just her type." I clapped and squealed, bouncing my feet on the rungs of the barstool.

"She is going to be so excited. They just let her out of the facility." I reached for his arm.

"She hasn't been out in the general population for what, four years now? Be careful with her."

He pulled his arm away and stepped back. "Maybe it's not the best time for her right now."

"Really?" I pouted. "Darn it."

He eyed the drink he'd bought me and then wandered away. Dez leaned over the bar; his mouth was right next to my ear.

"Why not just say the truth and say she has a boyfriend?" His breath was hot on my cheek.

I turned to him, falling in love all over again. "Because then they try even harder."

One corner of his mouth quirked up. "Why not say she's your girlfriend?"

I cocked an eyebrow. "Then they're even more interested."

He laughed. "Must be hard, coming up with so many reasons."

I plucked a cherry from my Coke and popped it in my mouth. "Not really. Sometimes I try to keep a theme to my excuses. Like tonight they might all have a criminal element. That'd be fun. Or maybe I'll stick with the medical and mental excuses." I rubbed my hands together as I tried to decide.

He wiped down the bar, shaking his head. "A woman with a PhD in lying. Impressive. Need a refill, or will you be enjoying the top-shelf whiskey you stuck that poor chump with?"

"Lying for a good cause doesn't count as lying. It's creative protection." I patted the bar top. "And keep the whiskey there, it makes me look sophisticated, right?"

"Next to the Coke with an umbrella and five cherries? Definitely."

"Thought so." I looked for Ally in the crowd. She was making out with Austin and seemed to be enjoying herself. That's when I saw another guy making a beeline for me. I swore under my breath.

"Hey, how you doing?"

I smiled. "I'm a little itchy, actually." I scratched the back of my neck. "A bit sweaty, too. I have a terrible headache. And cramps." I grimaced and set my hand on my tummy. "How are you?"

He blinked at me a few times and then looked over at Ally. Who was now dancing in the crowd while Austin just stared at her swaying her hips.

"I'd be a lot better if I was leaving with her. You're her friend, right? What's her 411?"

Dez leaned between us. "Isn't she back together with Austin?"

I looked backed at him, smiled and nodded. "Impressive," I mouthed.

Dez scanned the crowd. "I swear I saw him tonight. Hard to miss a two-hundred-fifty-pound guy."

I tapped my finger against my nose. "Are you sure he's out of jail already?"

"Pretty sure."

I shook my head. "It's amazing how low bail is for breaking a guy's arm—just for pinching his girlfriend's ass."

The guy slowly backed away.  
"Give it a shot. I'm not sure if they're back together or not," I said.

His Adam's apple bounced in his throat. "Thanks. I'm all set."

I turned around and high-fived Dez. "Nice work."

"Thank you, thank you. I only hope she provides you the same courtesy when losers come looking for you."

That earned him a steely gaze. "You think I can only attract losers?'

He groaned and looked up at the ceiling and all those bras. "You know what I mean. A guy with a lame line, like the yahoos here."

Frowning, I rolled my eyes. "It's never really been a problem."

"Oh, only the A-plus specimens show up for you?"

I looked away. "Knock it off."

"What?" He reached for my arm and I pulled it away.

"Come on, I don't look like Ally." I gestured to her waving her hands over her head in the middle of the crowd and Austin behind her. Only a girl as confident as her could do that in a strapless dress.

"I don't exactly have guys banging down the door." Or knocking at all. It had been a while.

Another guy interrupted us. "Hey, you friends with the hot chick?"

I pointed at Dez. "That's her boyfriend. He can tell you all about her."

The guy held up his hands and stepped back. "Sorry, dude."

"No problem. She's a hot mess, anyway. You don't want any of that action."

He was gone before Dez could finish.

I flicked a cherry stem at him. "Stop it. Anybody would want her."

"Oh, my God." He dropped his head back, frustrated. "You seriously believe that's all guys are interested in? Looks?"

I turned up my hands like, yeah duh.

He let out a long sigh. "Come on, Trish. We're not all Neanderthals."

"Yes, you are. I think your bra collection says it all." I jerked my chin towards the lingerie.

"I've never actually collected one myself. See? Not one of the bad guys."

I pressed my eyes closed before launching into my theory on men. "I just mean its hardwired into your brain, or chemistry, or whatever, to look for the most attractive female mate. Haven't you ever read those studies about men preferring a certain hip-to-waist ratio, which happens to be the most fertile ratio? Then there's the clear skin and shiny hair that suggest good, healthy genes. You can't help it. It's in your nature to want the most attractive mate who will best allow you to spread your seed."

I took a long drink. "And for that reason, no man would ever pick me over Ally. She is reproductive perfection." A little drama always helped sell it, so I spread my arms wide.

"It's not your fault."

By this time, Dez was pinching the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

"You are so wrong."

"And you must be drunk. I thought bartenders weren't allowed to drink on the job." I stood up and leaned over the bar, pretending to search for a contraband beverage.

A giggling brunette wearing too much dark eye shadow sidled up next to me and waved to get Dez's attention. "Excuse me, my friend over there was wondering if you're single?"

She pointed to a girl covering her face with both hands; but there was no question whether or not the short, chubby girl with frizzy red hair was a looker. Being a non-goddess myself, I was allowed to make such judgment calls.

The brunette giggled a bit more. "She thinks you're hot. If you want, she'll give you her bra for your collection." She pointed to the lingerie and slapped her hand over her mouth, totally overwhelmed with how audacious she was being.

I tried to suppress my grin, watching how Dez would handle this one.

He tilted his head and shrugged. "Man, sometimes it really sucks having a girlfriend." He reached for a wine glass, and poured some Chardonnay. "But give her this and tell her thanks for the compliment; and that she should keep her bra for some other lucky fellow."

The girl pouted, but she took the wine and dashed over to her friend.

"Very nicely done," I said.

Dez refilled my Coke and dropped in a handful of cherries. "Back to your totally plausible theory on men and our shallow evolutionary desires. If that's all we Neanderthals want is a beautiful woman—never mind smarts, or humor, or loyalty, or any of that business—what about you women? What do you want?"

"Simple." I shrugged. "Power and money to help raise all your children."

He laughed. "Then I'm in big trouble because I've got neither."

"Well, not all women want that. I suppose those of us who aren't evolutionary goddesses know we have to settle."

"As we just saw, you don't have a hard time with the ladies. How do you fend them off?"

"I tell them all I've got a girlfriend."

I tucked my hair behind my ears and prayed it wasn't frizzing. "Is that the truth or an excuse?"

He folded his arms and his expression turned serious. "I'll be honest with you to balance out your lying. It's an excuse, because I typically don't like to swim in the dating pool that shows up here."

I set my hand in my chin and leaned forward, intrigued. "Oh, and where do you go trolling for women?"

"I don't make it a point to look. I figure I'll find her when the time is right."

"And if Ally came over and said she was interested in you? Would the time be right then?" I toyed with the zipper pull on my purse so I didn't have to see the truth in his eyes.

He shrugged. "I don't even know her."

With a wave of my hand, I dismissed that ridiculousness. "Stop it. Of course you'd go out with her."

"Not necessarily. I might decide she was self-absorbed after a few minutes. And I'm not the only one." He refilled a beer and slid it to the man next to me, waiting.

"Ally isn't self-absorbed! I'm telling you she's the whole package. Sweet,smart, beautiful, sexy, has a great singing voice, and even more."

"You're polling the wrong crowd. If you and Ally went somewhere besides a bar, I bet there'd be plenty of guys asking her about you. Here at a bar, a six-foot-tall brunette woman is like a bug light. She totally stands out, attracting all the creatures buzzing about at night. And they have no idea they're about to be zapped by you." He pointed at me and I thought about biting his finger.

I rolled my eyes instead.

"She stands out everywhere."

He tipped his head and stared at me for a moment. I wondered if I'd forgotten to pluck my right eyebrow again. I fluffed my bangs and did a quick swipe for eye stubble. Phew. All clear.

"Do you always go out with her?" he asked. "Everywhere?"

"Usually."

"Maybe Ally's your excuse to keep guys away." He smiled, like he'd just come up with a great new As-Seen-On-TV invention.

I opened my mouth then snapped it shut. "I need a minute to think about that warped logic."

"You're not going to meet a nice guy at a bar. And certainly not with her in tow."

"Then good thing I have a cat at home who loves me, because most of the men I meet are at bars."

He planted both hands on the counter top. "Okay. You need to meet an entirely new population of men. You've been corrupted by losers. I've got a proposition. Come with me to my baseball game tomorrow—without Ally—and we'll see how many guys are interested in you."

I tried to look incredibly offended. "Good Lord, you make me feel like chattel. Are you going to sell me to the highest bidder?"

"I'm just intent on proving your theory wrong. I'll bet you have a date in three weeks."

"Three weeks? You think it's going to take that long? Thanks."

He forced a great big smile for me. "No, I just imagine you're going to be very difficult about this."

He reached over the bar to shake my hand.

"Deal?"

"Deal."

He scrawled directions to his baseball game on the back of a bar napkin as Ally wandered over by herself. I guess Austin had to leave early.

I picked up the glass of scotch. "Want some?" I asked her.

"You helped me get it."

She smoothed her hand along her swan-like neck, which looked like it belonged in a classy erotic photo display.

"Can I have a glass of water?" She tucked her hair over one shoulder and smiled at Dez. And he got her some water pretty damn fast.

"Who's your friend, Trish?" she asked, lowering her lashes.

"This is Dez. Dez, this is my friend Ally."

She reached over to squeeze the tips of his fingers. "Very nice to meet you."

She turned to me. "I'm ready to go home. How about you?"

I hopped off the barstool. "You don't have to ask me twice."

She headed for the door, and I swiped the napkin from the bar.

"The medication making her sleepy?" Dez asked.

"Nah, it's a parole curfew."

Out came the dimples. "See you tomorrow."

"Only to prove you wrong." I smiled at him over my shoulder as we left.

"Damn," Ally said, climbing into the cab. "He was cute. But my Austin is cuter."

I said nothing, annoyed for the first time. Dez told her he was taken.

That made me squeal inside. "He's a bartender. Not your type." Normally, I didn't get mad about something like this.

"Never said he was." She looked at me weirdly.

She leaned her head back against the seat while I tried to touch as little of the foul, plastic, peeling material on the seats as possible.

"So, what was your best excuse of the night?" she asked. Told yah.

I tapped my fingers on my thigh, thinking, as the cab lurched through the city, the pine tree air-freshener swinging on the rear view mirror.

"Actually, Dez helped me out with a good one."

"The bartender knew what you were doing?"

"He overheard me. And I used one on him when he asked me if you'd want a drink. Told him it didn't mix with your meds."

She pretended to slug me.

"Don't scare away the cute ones."

I threw up my hands. "What!? I don't think Austin would be to happy about that."

"I was joking! What's up with you tonight?" Her eyes widen then she gave me a look. "Did someone finally catch your eye?"

I shook my head too hard. "No, he was just fun, helping me come up with excuses. We told one guy your boyfriend was in the bar—fresh out of jail."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "Oh, Trish, I do love you."

The cab pulled in front our apartment building. She lived across the hall from me. Which was like a zebra living in Idaho, really. Why she wasn't a model living in Boston or some other big city was beyond me.

But she was quite content working as a kindergarten teacher with her summers off. Those poor little boys in her class would never find a woman who could live up to their first teacher crush. I'm sure there were a few smitten daddies, too, scheduling extra parent-teacher conferences.

"I'll be up around noon. Want to do lunch?" she asked.

I opened the door to the building.

"Some of us have to work," I whispered.

"Oh, you're no fun."

"And you're all fun. We balance out."

"Add Dez to my list. If he's ever available, I'm in. We'll have to check back in a few weeks. Nighty-night, Trishy. Love you." She blew me a kiss and let herself into her apartment.

_Glad someone does_. "Back at ya," I said.

I knew she was joking about the whole Dez thing. She only said that because she thinks I have a crush on him and wants to make me jealous. Besides, she would never cheat on Austin and vise versa, they love each other to much and will _literally_ die without each other. It almost happen before. But that's a whole different story.

**Please Review! They're my favorite.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay so yesterday I was in such a hurry to update this story that I forgot to add a part of the story where Trish and Dez make a deal that if Dez looses the bet he gets to buy Trish a shirt that says "She's Taken" for Ally, so they won't question her anymore. And if Trish looses the bet she'll buy one for Dez so he can put it on during work. It's kinda confusing. If you ever read Never Been Dumped youll kinda know who won the bet. *hint* *hint***

The only reason I tried on seven different outfits the next day was because of the flaky weather report.

Sun, rain, hail—make up your mind, weather people. Plus, purple and blue both played up my eyes, but which to choose?

Mr. Mew just looked at me with his big yellow eyes, so he was no help. I went with blue and hoped for the best.

Not that it mattered what I was wearing, I decided, driving to the baseball field. Dez would be a good friend to have. Yep, just what a girl like me needed, another good-looking guy friend. But I left my loose, brown curls down, because sometimes they looked cute bouncing on my shoulders. Or so Ally told me. And as much as I liked running around without makeup, I put on pale lipstick, eyeliner and mascara. I looked as good as I could without appearing as though I'd tried. It's a hard balance to strike.

I was hoping Dez wouldn't be as hot in the daylight, so that maybe I could shake these feelings, but his tight white pants and the bar t-shirt only made his assets more visible. I nodded in approval. Hopefully, he was friends with equally gorgeous men. The mythical ones, who valued personality and humor in a girl over looks. He was so losing this bet.

I waved to him when he spotted me leaning against the chain link fence surrounding the field. He was practicing with his teammates and tossed the ball to the guy on third base, then ran over, leaving a trail of red dust in his wake. I tried to remember the last time I'd made it to third base and I was coming up blank.

"You came," he said with a smile.

And that hasn't happened in a while either, I thought to myself. "Only to prove you wrong." I wrapped my fingers around the metal links.

"Nope, I think I'm going to have a new T-shirt to keep the ladies in line."

I tried to swat his arm but he ducked out of the way. "Go sit down and cheer for me. But don't get too hoarse. I'm awesome; you'll have lots of cheering to do."

"Clearly you're awesome. You have to be, to make it to the bar league, right?"

"Try not to cut yourself with that sharp tongue. I don't have any band-aids on me."

He shook his head, laughing, and ran onto the field.

Dez was good. He scored three runs, made a couple of key catches, and had a gaggle of girls waiting for him when it was all over. Shocker. But after some casual chitchat, he pushed his way past them and came over to me.

Yes, me—the only girl there wearing sneakers instead of high-heeled sandals, zero jewelry, and a "Wanna Smurf Around" t-shirt.

"Impressive, as promised," I told him as he sat down next to me on the bleachers.

He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "We're heading to a pub down the street to celebrate our crushing victory."

He didn't have to say so, but I knew this is where he was going to put his theory to the test. I should have been nervous realizing I'd soon be trying to charm his friends with my wit and personality. But I knew it was going to lead nowhere, and being right was so much fun. Plus that "She's Taken" t-shirt would come in handy.

"It's close enough to walk. You ready?" he asked.

"Let's do it."

Eight of us sat at a big table, sharing wings and war stories from our high school sports careers. Or lack of a career in my case.

"I'm just saying, how many concussions do you need to suffer on the volleyball court before you realize it's not your calling? The coaches pawned me off on each other until I finally gave up sports and joined the drama club. And they kicked me out for being too dramatic."

Dez's friend, Trent, just laughed and shook his head.

"What kind of volleyballs did you use? I remember them being very soft."

"True, but the floor was quite hard when the ball hit me and knocked me over."

Trent's eyes swept over me. "You should have moved on to beach volleyball. You certainly could handle the uniform." Up went a sexy eyebrow. "I could teach you a few moves this weekend. Bunch of us are hitting the beach on the South Shore if you're interested."

I almost ducked, hearing the flirty comment sail my way, like an errant volleyball. I looked over at Dez, expecting a told-you-so smirk, but he was frowning.

"She can't make it." He scratched his head. "She just had a pre-cancerous mole removed. A great big one on her back. It was all hairy. And lumpy. She has to stay out of the sun unless she's totally covered up."

My mouth dropped open and I glared at him. Who did he think he was—me? And why was he shooing off the very men he'd been trying to set me up with? I excused myself to hit the restroom and jerked my head, signaling him to follow me.

As he caught up to me outside the bathroom, I pretended to fan myself.

"Gosh, Mr. Quinn, how could I have forgotten my great big sunbonnet today to shield me from the venomous rays of the sun?" I crossed my arms. "And did you have to make the mole hairy? God. Did I miss the purpose of today's little exercise?"

I tried to sound mad, but he flashed these puppy-dog eyes at me that would undoubtedly get him out of any jam.

He grabbed my shoulders. "I know. I'm sorry. He definitely seemed interested, but he's no good for you."

I swatted away his hands. "I'll decide that for myself once I see if he has six-pack abs or not. And I suspect he does."

He looked at me, incredulous. "And you say men are the ones after looks."

"Without money or power, six-pack abs are a nice consolation prize."

He shook his head. "He's got the abs—and three ex-fiancées. He left each one within the month before the wedding."

I leaned back against the wall next to the kitchen. "Cream of the crop you've got here for me today. Thanks, Dez."

"I kind of forgot about that. Normally, I don't think about all that bullshit. But with you, I have to."

"Compliment or put down? I just can't decide."

"You deserve better than that, Trish. Plus, I'm a little scared of you."

I slugged his arm and pushed past him into the bathroom. Truth was, none of his friends would do. Not while he was hanging around. But I had to face the facts—if he was trying to set me up with his buddies, he must not be interested in me. Deal with it.

He was waiting for me when I came out. People were clearing away from the table and he dropped a few twenties by the check to pay for our share.

"Thanks," I said.

"I'm lucky I could cover it. I got lousy tips last night because someone was distracting me all night."

My first thought was Ally, but then I realized he meant me.

"Hey, I could have set you up with Ally in exchange. She was definitely interested. It's not too late." I really want to know if he likes her even though he says he doesn't. I don't know why I care so much but oh how much did it suck, saying that?

He looked down at me, and his eyes locked on mine. "I'm not interested. Plus, isn't she dating thee Austin Moon?"

I sucked in a little breath. "You're going to have to explain that to me one of these days." Ignoring his question about Austin. I forgot he knew.

He just shook his head. "Maybe one of these days you'll figure it out for yourself."

We stopped walking when we reached my car. "So, day one and no success. I'm still dateless. That T-shirt is going to look so cute on me."

He ignored me. "Good news. My buddy, Ethan, is having a barbecue this Wednesday night. Kind of a hump-day thing. How 'bout I pick you up at six?"

"Should I bring anything? Nothing homemade. I'm not that kind of girl." Just wanted to get that out in the open.

"Nope. Just your acerbic wit. I'm sure you'll be serving up rounds of it."

I really didn't want our day together to end. In a movie, this is where we'd make an awkward attempt to kiss each other and it would end up being so awesome, we'd tumble into the car only to emerge rapturous and flushed, hours later. Or maybe interrupted by the police in a slapstick scene. Or aliens in a sci-fi movie. Or a killer in a horror flick. I shuddered, imagining that, but I still wanted a kiss.

But he just patted the roof of my car, waiting for me to get in.

So, I climbed in. It was getting late, and duty called at the pet store the next day. Poor, furry suckers didn't know their early morning joy-ride was going to be the end of their manhood. There were three neuters scheduled for the next morning. That's something a girl needed to rest up for.

"See you Wednesday," he said.  
I waved goodbye, pretending I wouldn't be counting down the hours. All seventy-two of them.

**I hope you liked it, please leave a review and tell me what you're favorite part if the story was. Just copy and paste. Until tomorrow.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for late update. I like to update early but I NEEDED to finish this chapter. Anyway, this chapter is kinda sad you'll find out how Trish and Ally met. Enjoy!**

Dez picked me up in his Wrangler, and I was more excited to see him than the time I saw Santa behind our house the night before Christmas. I hoped this hot, funny guy wasn't going to just turn out to be make-believe, too. I liked him more and more each time I saw him.

"Did you tell Ally what you're up to?" he asked.

"Since she lives across the hall from me I would've, but she's down on the Cape this week at Austin's beach house. They missed each other a lot and Austin wants to have her all to himself ever since he came back from tour."

I was glad I didn't have to tell Ally about my "date" with Dez. She probably would've wanted to come along and I wasn't willing to share.

She had Austin. Dez slowed the car. "Should we make a detour to the dry cleaner before the party?"

I leaned my head back on the seat and looked at him. "I'm good, thanks."

He sped up the car. "Ally sounds very different from you."

I snorted. "And you didn't draw that conclusion the other night from looking at us?"

"No, I mean the way she treats men. Like an all-inclusive ticket. She doesn't even consider their feelings."

I tightened my grip on my purse. "She loves Austin, and you wouldn't understand."

"Of course not, I'm a man. Enlighten me."

I looked out the window, wondering how much to tell, but still wanting to defend her. "We met when we were kids. I was nine and she was eight. We were both in the cancer ward at Children's Hospital. Leukemia, only hers was worse. Way worse."

He reached over and squeezed my hand. "I'm so sorry."

His hand on mine was like butter on a biscuit—only I was the one melting. I had to remind myself to keep talking. "Yeah, it sucked. But it sucked more for her. My parents were there all the time. I was never alone. But her mom was single; her dad took off before she was born. Her mom couldn't lose her job, and she could only visit for a little while each day. So, we kind of took her under our wing."

Dez pressed his lips together. "That must have been so hard for her."

I nodded. "And then it got worse. I only had to do one round of chemo. She had to do more. I checked out of the hospital and she was still there." Damn it, tears were pricking my eyes and it was too late to stop them.

"Tissues are in the glove box," he said.

"Thanks." I reached for one and blew my nose, knowing how pretty that must look. "I tried to come back and visit her as often as I could. I felt so guilty, knowing she was there, alone. We've been friends ever since. No one else really understands what it's like to go through something like that."

"And you still feel responsible for her?"

I hadn't really ever thought of it that way, but he was right. "Yeah, seventeen years later, I guess I still do." I picked at my thumbnail. "She has a bit of a "live life to its fullest" thing going on, thus her list of conquests. Kids with her type of cancer usually don't live past forty," I said, quietly.

He came to a stop for a red light. "That explains a lot."

I shrugged. "So don't judge her. And don't judge me for helping her. It seems like fun and games, but it's more than that. She met Austin after that. They fell in love instantly. That's why she doesn't care or has eyes for other guys. Only Austin."

He reached for my shoulder and squeezed it. "You're a great friend, but don't put your life on hold just to make sure she lives hers."

I sucked in a breath. He was wrong. Totally wrong. "I'm not. Not at all. Look at me with you here tonight, trying to wrangle up a date." I swiped a stray tear off my cheek and put my defensive humor back in full protection mode. I hadn't told too many people the story I'd just told Dez. But now it was time to change the topic. "So, who are the lucky fellows today, anyway?"

The car behind us beeped, and he pulled his hand away from me and started driving. "Some friends from college. Good bunch of guys, and they'll love you."

"Where did you go to college?'

"U Mass."

"For their fabulous bartending program?"

"Ouch, that almost hurt. No, I got the most useless degree in the world—political science—and here I am, wondering what to do next."

"Besides counseling dateless women."

"Soon to be formerly dateless women."

"Could be your new calling: matchmaker to the hopeless."

* * *

His friend Ethan had a fabulous house with a big back yard and a beautiful wife who laid out a spread of food that should've been photographed and put on a magazine cover. I would have been happy dating _her_ just for the food.

But Dez was right, a few interesting friends were there as well, and he made it clear when he introduced me that I was just his pal.

"Go get 'em champ," he whispered to me. He went into the house, leaving me outside with Brett the dentist, Tony the roofer, and Zach, who owned a store. We wandered over to a horseshoe pit. I was just glad no real horses were involved. That would certainly have had an ugly outcome.

"Trish's on my team," Tony announced. His big, black dog barked his approval and ran over to us.

That made me smile. He was my pick of the bunch, with long, dark hair, a killer tan and muscles to match. And he brought his dog along? _I'm in_, I thought. I grinned at him. "Confession time, before you tap me for your team."

"Oh, no. You don't play for my team?" He tried to look serious.

I playfully whacked him. "I've never played horseshoes."

"Never too late to learn. Let me show you." He handed me a horseshoe and stood behind me, gripping my hand and showing me how to pull my arm back and throw it toward the pin. I'm certain he could've gotten across the points of the game without the up-close-and-personal demonstration, but that was the most man action I'd had in months.

I threw the first shoe and it clanged against the stake and spun around, dropping to the grass.

He high-fived me. "Holy crap, total natural! Knew I was right about you."  
I smacked my hand to my forehead.

"All these years neglecting this inborn talent. I could've been on my school's horseshoe team."

Dez wandered out with beers for us all and watched while Tony and I totally creamed the other team. Tony scooped me up and spun me around. "You're awesome." His dog leapt and barked, hoping to join the fun.

"Even Winston thinks so." He patted his dog's head.

I looked over at Dez, but he wasn't smiling.

Tony sat next to me at dinner, and we had a competition to see who could eat more ribs. He beat me, but only by two. "You eat more than any girl I've ever met."

"Oh, you sweet talker." I nudged him with my elbow. My stomach wasn't rolling like it did at the thought of hooking up with Dez, but I'd be interested in a go-round with Tony.

Seemed like he was thinking the same thing. "My uncle owns the roofing company I work for. He's having a picnic for us Saturday afternoon. Wanna come and do some damage in the horseshoe pits?"

I opened my mouth, but Dez answered for me. "Don't you have that charity thing that day? For the sick … cat … society?" He totally faked a cough.

I narrowed my brows, and he fixed me with a stare. "Oh, right. I almost forgot I even signed up for that. How could I have forgotten the Sick Cat Society Gala? Thanks for the reminder. Wouldn't want to let them down."

"Maybe some other time," Tony said, his smile disappearing.

"Don't worry, I've got her number," Dez said.

_Which, clearly, you won't ever give out_, I thought.

We said goodnight, and I couldn't wait to confront him in the car. "I forgot, are you coming with me to the Sick Cat Charity Gala? Don't I have to go to the Dermatologist for my mole that day?"

He dropped his head back against the seat. "I'm sorry. I couldn't let you go out with him."

I planted my hands on my hips. "You said these were your nice college buddies. That's why you brought me here, remember?"

"I didn't know Tony was going to be there. He's friends with Ethan, but he's not one of my college buddies."

"And what's wrong with him?"

"He's got an arrest record. Drugs."

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. "Your men just get better and better. But why don't you let me go out with him and decide if he's right for me? People make mistakes. He's even got a job."

"Well, his jeans seemed too tight. Doesn't that bother you?"

I gave him a look. "And why were you checking out his jeans?"

Dez's face reddened. "What? Well, it was… it was hard to avoid," he stammered.

"I know. They looked good. Real good."

He frowned, backing out of the driveway. "I remember being at a party where he was arguing with a woman in the driveway and she left crying."

"Maybe she just found out someone died." I pointed at him. "Making a woman cry doesn't take him out of the running. Not even the arrest record does. I don't have a man shopping-list. My needs are simple. Cute and nice."

"I can't vouch for whether he's nice. I'd have to think jail makes a person not nice. Sorry. I have to say no to this one." His hands gripped the steering wheel.

"I'm still dateless. Looks like you're going to be buying me a brand-spankin'-new shirt."

He ignored me. "I'm not giving up yet. My brother's birthday is this Saturday. I'm taking the night off and you're coming."

"What about the sick cat society? They really need my support." I clasped my hands in a pleading gesture.

He sighed. "Send them a check. I'm afraid you're going to have to cancel and spend the night with me."

I looked out the window and grinned up at the moon.

**Review! And I also forgot to tell you that this story won't be that long it'll probably have like less then 10 chapters. But I'll try my best to make it the best Trez story ever!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I hurt my back and I was at the hospital all day. Doctors said I have something in my back which is causing the pain. I couldn't move or walk at all. So please forgive me here's chapter 5, I hope you enjoy. Oh and one of the guests suggested that I should write a Dally=Dez+Ally story. Tell me what you think I actually don't mind. I was planning to stop writing stories once I finished this one but one more story wouldn't hurt. Right?**

Ally came back from the beach a day early. "He said he had a meeting with Jimmy." She plopped onto my couch and dangled her feet over the armrest.

"At least you got to spend time with him."

"True, true." She picked up a _Cosmo_ off my coffee table and started flipping through it. "I'm thinking about working on you with that bartender from last week. Want to go back there tonight?"

_With you? Hell, no._  
"He's on vacation this week," I lied.

"We'll try another time." I didn't want her anywhere near my crush. He might not be able to help himself. I changed the subject.

"How about a sixth-grade sleepover at my place?"

She popped up and headed for the door. "I'll bring the spa goodies."

Ally came over and we recited every line of _Sixteen Candles_, while painting each other's toes. Mr. Mew promptly climbed onto her lap when she settled onto the couch, and tucked a bowl of popcorn between us. Even feline males preferred her company to mine, that traitorous cat. _You think Ally would shove a pill down your throat when you get worms, you beast? No. She wouldn't._

Our sleepover would've been the perfect time to tell her the truth about Dez. But I couldn't admit I'd finally fallen for a guy—who was trying to set me up with his buddies. Embarrassing. And I didn't want her pity. It was clear I was just meant to be friends with a guy who I wanted more than a lifetime supply of Godiva. There's no Valentine's Day card for that relationship.

On screen, Jake Ryan kissed Samantha, and we both sighed. Then Ally stretched and shooed my kitty off her lap. "I'm beat," she said.

"Off for some beauty sleep." She joked.

"Ah, if only that's what it took to look like you."

She bopped me with her pillow. "Shut up, Trish. You're adorable."

"Puppies are adorable."

"Are we going out tomorrow night? There's a new bar downtown."

I wasn't ready for another night fending off her suitors. And I didn't know how long I'd be out with Dez.

"I can't. I'm sorry. I've got this sick cat charity event to go to."

She eyed me strangely.

I nodded. "It's for work. Boss'll be mad if I don't go."

"Have fun, if they allow that kind of thing at a sick cat charity event."

"I'm sure I will."

* * *

"Has everyone been cleared and vetted ahead of time?" I asked Dez, when he picked me up.

"You never know which stragglers might show up. And we've got a few oddball cousins who could make an appearance, but I think we'll be okay."

He gave me a thumbs-up.  
I smoothed my sundress, and was glad he didn't mention my first appearance in a dress. It was a rare day that I slipped on a dress, but I wanted him to see me as someone more than just funny old Trish.

Thus far, he hadn't seemed to notice.  
Plus, we were going to his parents' house and it's always good to make a nice first impression, at least in my world of wishful thinking.

We pulled up in front of a rambling old farmhouse outside the city. The party was in full swing under a big, white tent out back, and as we walked over I could see why Dez had brought me. There was indeed a nice collection of men to choose from. I spotted a Dez look-alike, only a few years younger.

"Is that your brother?" I asked, jerking my chin in the direction of the keg.

"Yep. Turning twenty-two today."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

I gave him a nudge. "Me, too."

"I wouldn't have guessed. You're nowhere near as mature as me."

I stuck my tongue out at him, and he led me over to meet his brother.

"Tad, this is my friend, Trish."

He smiled, and it was almost as dreamy as Dez's. "Nice to meet you. Dez hasn't brought anyone along in a while. Not since—"

Dez cut him off. "We're just friends."

Guess my sundress wasn't that cute, after all. I stuck out my hand. "Nice to meet you and happy birthday."

He took a long swig of his beer and crushed the plastic cup. "I know. Depressing. I figure twenty-five is the year I become an adult. I'll spend the rest of this one partying. Maybe I need the guidance of an older woman to help me through it." His smile almost killed me.

I didn't have a chance to do anything but blush.

Dez grabbed me by the elbow. "Come on, I want you to meet my parents."

"But I was talking to the birthday boy," I protested as he dragged me away.

He ignored me and waved to a handsome older couple laughing by a big bed of roses. They looked up and smiled. "Dez, darling!" his mother called.

He reached over and kissed his mom and his father patted him on the back. "Mom, Dad, this is my friend Trish."

His mother raised an eyebrow.  
"Friend," he emphasized.

He was certainly making that point clear.

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Lovely place."

We chatted a bit, and then a few cousins dragged Dez away and I found myself talking to Tad again, without my handler.

"So, what's on your birthday list this year, young man?" I asked him, as we walked along the shore of a small pond.

"The usual. Beer, money, a pony." He was a bit shorter than Dez, but he could be a nice stunt double. He seemed just as nice and funny, too.  
I tipped my head and raised an eyebrow. "I thought only girls wanted ponies."

"How else can you be a true cowboy without a pony? My parents could never understand that. I thought by asking for a pony instead of a horse, I'd increase my chances, considering how much smaller they are. But no such luck." He shrugged and smiled.

"Sorry to hear it, buckaroo. So, no girlfriend here?" I linked my hands behind my back. "Subtle, right?"

He laughed. "At your age, I'm sure you don't have time to beat around the bush. My mother's hoping this is the year I grow up and find a decent girl, because you know, she was married with a baby at my age."

"Wow, I had no idea mothers played that guilt trip business on their sons."

"Probably because she doesn't have any daughters."

"So, what do you do for a living, irresponsible Tad?"

"I'm a high school gym teacher."

"Oh, those poor girls."

"It's an all-boys school."

I bit my lip. "I'm sure you're tormenting a few of them, too."

He laughed, and Dez materialized behind us. We ignored him.

"What do you do?" Tad asked.

"I'm a veterinary assistant."

"And she blew off a very important charity event to be here," Dez said.  
I rolled my eyes.

Tad nodded at me. "Hey, I've got a fundraiser for the school next Saturday, a Hawaiian luau to help raise money for new football uniforms. Do you want to come with me?"

"I think I've got a hula skirt kicking around," I said.

"Actually, she's going out with me next Saturday. Remember?" His eyes narrowed slightly.

I looked at him, confused, and before I could say anything, Tad piped up. "Sorry, dude. I thought you two weren't dating."

Someone called Tad's name, and he waved and started walking away.

"Talk to you later, Trish."

I glared at Dex and planted my hands on my hips. "Okay, so what's wrong with him—recovering from malaria? Is he a closet cross-dresser?"

"He hates puppies."

"You hate cats, but that doesn't make you a bad guy." I crossed my arms. "Why don't you want me going out with your brother?" Did he think I wasn't good enough for him?

"He's immature and it's bound to end badly. I don't want to get caught in the middle of that. And besides, I am taking you out next Saturday." He led me away from the pond back to the party tent.

"You're blowing off work again?"  
He nodded.

"Haven't we yet mined all your friends and family? Who am I meeting now?"

"No one. We're going out. You and me. For dinner and a movie."

"You're going to pawn me off on the ushers? They're usually high school boys, and last time I checked, that was illegal."

"No. I'm taking you on a date."

"A date?" I narrowed one eye at him. "You're running out of time and you want to win the bet."

He held up his hands. "No, no. I just want to take you out. I'll pick you up at five."

I thought about that long after he dropped me off. If he wanted to take me on a date, why wasn't there any goodnight kiss after the party? Or was he just that desperate to keep me from his brother? Something else was going on here, but I didn't know what.

**Review and tell me what you think about a Dally story. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, I'm back**

**! Luckily my doctor gave me some pills for my back. Thanks to those who told me to get better and yea…Anyway, I have to take 4 different pills each day, sucks right. And I had to quit cheerleading, even worst. So school was boring today and I wrote this chapter. I know it's short but this is all I could come up with so I really hope you guys like it. Oh and at the end of this chapter there will be 2 summaries for the Dally story, tell me which one you guys like and if you want me to work on the story.**

* * *

How in the world do you dress for a date that didn't really feel like a date? I didn't want to get too dressed up, but I didn't want to slum it, either. I had to sneak out for a shopping trip without telling Ally. The deeper I dug myself, the harder it was going to be telling her about Dez. But what would I even tell her?

She was having dinner with her mother, so she didn't see Dez pick me up. He looked kill-me-now hot in a pale blue shirt and dark jeans. Now, if I lived life like Ally on her dates with Austin, I would've said screw the date, and come on inside and…

"Hi," I said, pushing those nasty thoughts out of my mind. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew the evening wouldn't be ending that way.

Dez was quiet for most of the ride to the restaurant. I joked about his dislike of cats and the collection of bras at the bar being a good resale opportunity on ebay, but it got little more than a chuckle from him.

Once we got to the restaurant and each had a drink, he loosened up a bit. "So, am I allowed to date your brother when he's twenty-five?" I teased.

He looked out the window. "No, I just don't want you to, that's all."

"You didn't have to take me out. You could have said I was leaving for an African photo safari or something."

"I wanted to take you out. Really."  
I smoothed the napkin on my lap and looked at him.

"You wanted to go out with me on a date." I swallowed hard. "As more than a friend?"

Before he could answer, a tall, brunette woman walked up to our table, and my first instinct had me thinking it was Ally.

"Dez? How are you?" She set her hands on the table and leaned over, like she was going to pour her cleavage on his plate.

Dez sat up straight. "Laura? I thought you were in Los Angeles. Did you move back?"

"No, I'm visiting my folks. Who's this?" She nodded in my direction.

"This is Trish. Trish, this is Laura."

"His ex-girlfriend," she filled in.

I gulped and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you." But it wasn't. Not at all. She was tall, and thin, and gorgeous, and reminded me of how I wasn't any of those things. No, Dez wasn't truly interested in taking someone like me out. This was a sympathy date, and that was it. I was like the girl back at the bar who'd scored a free drink. Tall, brunette goddess—that was his type.

"Hope you're doing well," she said.  
"Nice meeting you, Trish."

He blew out a breath as she walked away. "That was fun," he said.

"When did you two break up?"

"Six months ago. It was kind of ugly. She moved down to L.A and was mad I didn't follow her."

"Do you still love her?" I asked, trying to sound uninterested.

He snorted. "No. I'm damn glad I didn't follow her there. We weren't right for a number of reasons."

I looked down at the menu, pretending to be enthralled with the description for the chicken florentine.

"She looks a lot like my friend Ally."

He cocked his head. "I guess she does a bit."

I just nodded and was so grateful I had taught myself how to keep from crying by pinching that space between my thumb and forefinger. My thumb cleavage. It would probably be bruised the next day.

We finished dinner with forced conversation and a few lame attempts at jokes. Afterward, I suggested skipping the movie. "I'm not feeling great," I said.

"Legionnaire's disease, I suspect."

"Probably. Don't even dream of kissing me, I'm probably contagious."

"Fair warning."

We drove home and I had to pinch my thumb again. This date was such a mistake. He wasn't interested in me, of course not. He just felt bad for me. And how could we keep being friends with this between us now, like a piece of spinach in your teeth that would never go away?  
I hopped out of the car before any uncomfortable conversation could arise.

"I'll call you tomorrow to make sure you're feeling better."

"Thanks," I said, dashing off to my apartment for a long, hot, bubble bath and an even longer cry.

* * *

After a restless night, I knew I had to talk to Ally. She'd be mad I didn't tell her about this all along, but she would tell me how to save my friendship with Dez if there were any way to do that.

I heard someone out in the hall and popped up to look through the peephole. Dez was leaving Ally's apartment. I sucked in a breath and flattened my back against the wall. My heart was in my stomach. What about Austin? Guess she doesn't care. Ally had hooked up with him, after all. She didn't know how I felt about him, or she never would have done it. But of course, I'd been too stupid to tell her about my silly little crush.

I knocked my head against the wall a few times, then jumped back in bed, unwilling to answer the door for him in case he stopped by my place.

But he never came.

Ally, however, did. And I wouldn't let her in. Was he after her now? A nice substitute for his ex-girlfriend? Did seeing Laura remind him there was a perfect body-double nearby?

I waited for her to stop knocking, quickly got dressed, and left the apartment. I couldn't bear to hear her gushing over the guy I was crazy about. I left a note on my door telling her I was visiting my parents and would be home quite late.

But I didn't feel like crying on Mom's shoulder over this. She'd give me some sickly sweet pep talk about how special I am and how anyone would be lucky to have me blah, blah, barf. Instead, I went to the zoo. I'd probably do too much damage at the mall.

But that didn't cheer me up. It was a miserably hot day, and even the kangaroos just stood there. Not a hop in the bunch. Plus, there was no one to share a joke with.

It took everything in me not to answer the phone when Dez called. And he called three times. Ally did, too. I was hoping in a few days the idea of the two of them together would be easier to swallow.

But chances were Ally wouldn't last with him a few days. She would probably give in if Austin begged her to get back together. I still can't believe she would do that to Austin. What about that love and everything they had. Had it meant nothing to her? I just hope Dez doesn't get hurt. Hopefully we could strike up a friendship again in a while, but it would never be like it had been.

And I wasn't even going to insist he pay up on his bet and get me that damn shirt.

* * *

**1) **_She's at the wrong place at the wrong time. Can the guy who saves her be ? Or will his past keep them apart._

_When Ally is jumped in a parking lot, Dez jumps in to save the day. While she thinks her hero could also be her heartthrob, Dez's worried his past is reason to stay apart. Will the good guy get the girl in the end?_

**2) **_Does she finally have the key to finding love? Ally has tried everything to find love—with no luck. So she's turning to feng shui to bring romance to her world. Too bad the guy she's after thinks it's a bunk. Will her formula for love work—or blow up in her face?_

**Only picking one. And I still dont got the names for the story. Sorry. Start Voting!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated. My parents grounded me. Why? I got in a fight in school (which by the I didn't start but the girl hit and I had to defend myself) and I got suspended and my parents got mad so they took my phone. Which is where I always update and keep my files for my stories. My friend was so kind to let me use her computer so I could update and so here I am. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

I managed to avoid Ally on Monday, too, by heading in to work early and staying late.

She kept calling and finally left a voice mail. "I really, really need to talk to you about Dez."  
Delete. Not yet.

I also ignored three more phone calls from Dez. I supposed it wasn't fair. They didn't know I'd seen them together. Ally would be furious with me for not returning her calls, but I was still hardening up my emotions.  
Kind of like a crab that had molted and needed to grow its new shell.

Dez's messages were vague. "I really want to talk to you, Trish. Please return my calls. Unless you've got laryngitis. Or donated your vocal chords to science. Please, just call."

By Wednesday morning when I dragged myself into work I was miserable. Even the darling ragdoll cat we were boarding for a week didn't cheer me up.

I got ready in exam room one for a new client bringing in a kitten. Maybe it would be a cute little bugger who would make me smile. I looked up when the door opened. My mouth dropped, but nothing came out.

"Hi, Trish. I'd like you to meet Fluffy."

"Dez? What are you doing with a kitten? What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you. You wouldn't answer my calls, you're never home. So, I figured you couldn't refuse a guy with a new cat." He held it up next to his face and smiled.

"Ally doesn't like cats. Or maybe you two have broken up already? She's like that." God, I could be such a brat.

He set the cat down on the exam table and made a time-out sign with his hands. "What are you talking about?"

I looked down and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I saw you leaving her apartment Sunday morning. And Fluffy is such a boring name."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't know you were getting a cat, or I would have objected."

He shook his head. "No, about seeing me at Ally's?" His kitten jumped down to the floor, inspecting the place.

"Yes, interrupt your post-coital embrace."

He rubbed his face with his hands while his kitten brushed against my ankles. I picked it up and stroked its head.

"I was over there asking her about you. Austin was there, too."

"Me?" I pressed my hand against my chest. "What about me?"

"I like you, Trish. I really like you. I didn't realize it at first, but that's why I wouldn't let you go out with any of those other guys. My brother? Only if you want to kill me.

I crossed my arms with the kitty pressed against my chest and tapped my foot. "If you like me, why did you have to talk to her about it?"

His hands circled the air, as he struggled to answer. "For some reason, I can't let you know how I really feel about you without it coming out like a joke. I needed her advice. And no, I'm not interested in someone like her. When I met you, it was like I got knocked over the head and could think of nothing but you. Only, getting hit over the head made me too stupid to realize what was going on. I've been a bit gun-shy since I broke up with my ex."

He reached for my hand but I gave him his cat instead. This wasn't Jerry Maguire. He didn't have me at hello.

"But you were acting so strange when we went out to dinner. I definitely wasn't getting any 'I'm interested' signals from you."

He sighed. "I know. I was nervous, and I didn't know how to be serious around you and tell you how I really felt. What if you made a joke out of it?"

I pretended to tidy up the counter, moving a box of plastic gloves around and wiping up a spot that wasn't there.

"I thought you were asking me out because you felt sorry for me." Wincing, I thought of the frizzy-haired girl and her chardonnay.

He walked over and took me by the arm. "Please, blame it on medication, or a mental illness, or temporary stupidity. I want you, Trish."

I let the words play back in my head. He wants me. "No joke?"

He shook his head. "No joke." He swallowed and looked down at the floor. "I just hope you feel the same."

I turned to him and stared, looking for a trace of sarcasm or teasing. But there was none. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around him like I'd imagined doing so many times.

"I do." I squeezed tightly and pressed my eyes shut. "I've felt this way since the first night I met you."

His hands cupped my shoulders. "I guess I'm a little slow."

"Or maybe it's environmental poisoning. But you're worth the wait."

He bent down and brushed his lips against mine. Fluffy jumped onto the exam table and rubbed against my hip, reminding me I was at work. I broke away from our kiss. "I can't do this."

His eyes widened. "What?"

I turned away from him. "I have to examine your cat." I looked at him over my shoulder and smiled. "We'll have to try that again when I'm off the clock."

He let out the breath he'd been holding. "Thank God. I thought you were going to tell me you were joining the Peace Corps."

"Or a nunnery."

He came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed the back of my head.

My stomach rolled in delight. Then I felt guilty for thinking he and Ally had hooked up. "I need to apologize to Ally. I haven't returned her calls, either."

"You'd better. Last I checked she was looking at bridesmaid's dresses." My eyes widened.

" Austin proposed!?"

"Yea, but let's not talk about that now." He said, and slowly leaned in again until our lips connected into a passionate kiss.

**Reviews and tell me what your favorite part was. See you tomorrow for the last chapter of this story. ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is so short, I hate myself. I tried, really I did, but this is all I could come up with. Sorry, but I still hope you guys like it.**

**Enjoy**

A week later, I wandered into the bar alone, since Ally was in the Bahamas with Austin for her honeymoon. I'm gonna miss her so much since she's planning on staying there for a while.

But, I figure it's good for her to have goals. Dez saw me and waved.  
I scowled at the line of girls at the bar. I scanned the rafters for new bras but there weren't any recent additions.

I found a stool and sat down. I tossed a small shopping bag at Dez and he caught it. "What's this?"

"I'm settling up on our bet."

He pulled out the t-shirt and smiled. "I'm taken," he read.

One of the girls in front of him pouted. "Aww, you are?"

He looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I am."

"And his girlfriend is crazy," I told her, twirling my finger in a circle next to my head. "You don't want to mess with her."

"Really?" she asked.

Dez nodded. "She's gotten into fights over me."

"She's been in jail," I offered.

"The psych ward," he added.

I nodded. "She even made that shirt just to keep women away."

The girls were wide-eyed. "Why are you, like, dating her then?" one asked.

He looked at me and smiled. "She's funny, and beautiful, and she gets me."

I held up one finger. "Wait, I thought it was because you were afraid she'd kick your ass if you broke up with her?"

"Well, yes. There's that too."

"Awww, you sweetie," I said, leaning across the bar for a kiss. "But wear the shirt anyway."

His dimples appeared as he smiled and met my lips. "Always."

******The End**

**Review please! And vote for the dally story, please! Until next story.**


	9. Authors Note

**A/N: Hey guys! The I just posted the Delly story that I promised you guys. It took some time write it because many were telling me to not write the story but others told me otherwise. I made up my mind and decided to write it. It called Wrong Place, Right Guy. Go check it out!**


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